Vivian was born July 3, 1925 on the family farm In the Hamilton’s Crossroads community of Union County, the sixth child of the late Fulton A. Austin and Mary Allen Austin. She graduated from Fairfield Elementary School and Marshville High School. During WWII, she trained in the Cadet Nurse Corps in Shelby, NC and Washington, DC. She became a registered nurse in 1946, and also completed a course as a laboratory technician in Asheville, NC. In 1949, she moved to Little Rock, Arkansas and married Dr. C.Y. Washburn of Shelby, NC and later Cabot, Arkansas. When their marriage ended in 1952, Vivian and her son Dennis returned to NC.
Vivian worked at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte and Union Memorial Hospital in Monroe. She also spent many hours helping her aging parents. In 1954, she married Max W. Chaney of Wingate. The following year, their daughter Karen was born. In addition to being a homemaker, Vivian continued to work at Union Memorial Hospital, serving as both assistant director and director of nursing. She also worked for many years as an office nurse for the late Dr. E.F. Hamer of Monroe. After retirement, she worked part-time as a nurse for Hospice of Union County.
Although family and employment occupied most of her time for many years, she also found time for other activities. Vivian was active in Wingate United Methodist Church over many years, serving as a youth leader, member of the Church Council, and church delegate to Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska. She also had hobbies of a greenhouse, flower and vegetable gardening, home canning, baking, genealogy, and crossword puzzles. She was frequently called upon by family and neighbors for minor medical emergencies and home care. Vivian also spent a great deal of time in retirement babysitting her three grand-children and caring for her husband Max.
Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, five siblings, husband Max W. Chaney and a grandson Jonathan Washburn. She is survived by her son Dennis Washburn of Indian Trail, NC, her daughter Karen Thomas of Vass, NC, a granddaughter Emily T. Pelaez, a grandson James Washburn, two great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.
Memorials may be made to Wingate United Methodist Church, Hospice, or the Alzheimer’s Foundation.
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